‘WHY WOULD THEY DO THIS?’

Trump’s Favorite Network Delivers Scathing Verdict on Deal

Even Fox News isn’t fawning.

Even the television network that doubles as President Donald Trump’s MAGA mouthpiece is questioning his deal with Iran.

On Thursday, Fox & Friends hosts joined the growing chorus of people raising concerns about his long-awaited peace deal with Iran.

Trump, 80, announced he had signed a memorandum of understanding with Iran while in France for the G7 summit on Wednesday. Among other controversial provisions, the 14-point, one-and-a-half-page agreement commits to creating a $300 billion fund for the “reconstruction and economic development” of Iran. What’s more, the president later said he was open to allowing Iran to maintain its stockpile of ballistic missiles, claiming it was “unfair” for Iran to be denied the weapons if neighboring countries possess them.

Those provisions drew scrutiny from hosts Brian Kilmeade, Ainsley Earhardt, and Griff Jenkins during an interview with Trey Yingst, Fox’s chief foreign correspondent.

“So, Trey, $300 billion, obviously a lot of money,” said Earhardt, 49. “Who’s paying this money, and why? Why would they do this?”

Yingst emphasized that the agreement explicitly states the United States is not required to make a financial contribution.

“They did not say specifically what the involvement of the United States will be in getting the fund together,” Yingst said. “We’re likely looking at money coming from Gulf countries for reconstruction funds inside of Iran, but again, this is one of many questions that people have about this document.”

Kilmeade, meanwhile, raised the issue of missiles, noting that Trump had previously suggested Iran would not be allowed to retain them.

“As for the missile program of Iran, President Trump said from France yesterday that the Iranians will have some missiles because neighboring countries have missiles. There was a lot of reaction across the region to those comments,” Kilmeade, 62, said.

Yingst, for his part, argued that the memorandum is not “a final deal with the Iranian regime.”

“There was a lot of reaction across the region to those comments, but when we look at this agreement, I think it’s really important to look at the memorandum of understanding for what it is,” he said. “This is not a final deal with the Iranian regime. This is an extension of the ceasefire between the United States and Iran.”

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Fox & Friends is not the only corner of the Rupert Murdoch-owned network passing judgment on the dealmaker-in-chief’s meek deal.

On Wednesday, Fox News contributor Leslie Marshall said there was “bipartisan support” against Trump’s agreement.

“This is a great deal for Iran. Iran comes back richer… They get money. Three hundred billion,” she said on Special Report with Bret Baier. “You have sanctions lifted, you have assets that are going to be unfrozen. What do we get? What do we get, Bret?”

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Marshall added: “We get a strait that was opened before, reopened… And, by the way, they can temporarily have nukes, and the president today said it’s OK for them to have missiles. This is why you have bipartisan support against this.“

The contributor listed those criticizing the deal, including South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former Vice President Mike Pence, and former Rep. Trey Gowdy.

“It’s a bad deal when people like them and I are agreeing on this,” she said.

The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House for comment.

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Laura EspositoBreaking News Reporter

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